Fountain that flows with fluidic material

Abstract

A fountain for heating and distributing fluidic material is manufactured using various processes and materials. In one embodiment, the fountain includes a heating element encased in an enclosure. A basin containing a medium, such as chocolate, is removably mounted to the enclosure so that the basin is heated by contact with the enclosure. Additionally, an auger having a spiral flight rotates and lifts the melted chocolate upward to a top end of a cylinder that houses the auger. One or more tiers may be mounted, using various locking mechanisms, onto the cylinder to divert flow of the medium. A smaller chocolate fountain that may advantageously be more suitable for home use is also described herein.

Description

PRIOR APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. No. 10/698,283, filed on Oct. 31, 2003 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,021,556, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates generally to a food dispensing apparatus, and more particularly to a fountain that flows with a fluidic material.

2. Description of the Related Art

Fondue machines typically include a bowl shaped container for holding and heating a medium; usually, an edible medium, such as chocolate, cheese, or caramel. For ease of description, in the following description of various embodiments of fondue machines and fountains, chocolate will be the medium that is heated. However, those of skill in the art will recognize that a reference to chocolate hereinafter may be replaced by any other medium. The container of a typical fondue machine is heated by a heating element to melt the chocolate. Fruit, or other food items, may then be dipped into the container of the fondue machine.

In recent years, fondue machines have taken on alternate configurations. For example, a fondue fountain has been developed that moves melted chocolate, cheese, or caramel, for example, so that the melted medium flows over a number of tiers like a fountain. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a prior art chocolate fountain 100, including a container 110 configured to hold and melt chocolate. A hollow barrel 120 is mounted in the center of the container 110 and provides a pathway for melted chocolate to be moved upward, through its hollow center, to the top of the fountain. An auger including a spiral flight extending around the length of the auger is mounted within the hollow barrel 120. The auger is rotated in order to lift the melted chocolate upward in the hollow barrel 120. On the top of the barrel 120 is a crown 140 that fills with chocolate that flows out of the barrel 120. When the crown 140 is full of melted chocolate, the chocolate begins to fall over the edges of the crown 140. Attached to the barrel 120 are tiers 130 which vary in size. As the chocolate flows downwardly from the crown 140, the chocolate flows over each of the tiers 130, thus forming a multi-level chocolate waterfall. The chocolate fountain 100 also includes a heating element that is placed below the container 110.

One disadvantage of the prior art fountain 100 is the difficulty in attaching the tiers 130 in the appropriate location. For example, there is no mechanism to easily determine where each of the tiers 130 should be attached to the barrel 120. Additionally, there is no mechanism for ensuring that the attached tiers 130 are level so that the melted chocolate flows evenly around the perimeter of each tier 130. Furthermore, attachment of tiers 130 in the prior art requires the use of tools, such as a hex wrench, in order to tighten a fastener which secures the tiers 130 to the barrel 120.

Another disadvantage of the prior art fountain 100 is the difficulty experienced in cleaning the various pieces of the fountain 100. For example, the tiers 130 and crown 149 are typically manufactured by welding multiple pieces of metal together, thus leaving burrs, pits, and sharp edges. Because melted chocolate tends to accumulate on any non-smooth surfaces, cleaning tiers 130 that include burrs, or other non-smooth welding artifacts, is increasingly difficult. Furthermore, accumulation of chocolate in pits, or other non-smooth surfaces, can be unsanitary if not cleaned thoroughly. Additionally, the sharp edges created by welding may be dangerous to users of the fountain 100.

A further disadvantage of the prior art fountain 100 is the uneven heating of the desired fondue medium, such as chocolate, in the container 110. In particular, the container 110 contains hot spots over the areas that are in direct contact with the heating element. Adding to the problem of uneven heating, the container 110 of the chocolate fountain 100 is not configured to urge the fluidized chocolate towards a center of the container 110. Accordingly, melted chocolate does not pool in the center of the container 110, but instead spreads on the surface of the unevenly heated container 110. Additionally, the outer perimeter of the container 110 typically becomes hot when the heating element is active, thus presenting the possibility of harming a user that touches the container. Also, when users of the prior art fountain 100 dip food items into the flowing chocolate, a portion of the melted chocolate typically falls outside of the container 110 due to the small size of the container 110.

Another disadvantage of the prior art fountain 100 is that as the auger lifts the melted fluidized chocolate up the barrel 120, the melted chocolate comes in contact with a central shaft of the auger which requires additional cleaning. Also, because the auger and the barrel 120 are both made of metal, the melted chocolate may be contaminated with metal filings caused by the contact of the rotating auger with the barrel 120. In addition, the friction of the metal auger with the metal barrel 120 may having a sharpening effect on the edges of the spiral flight, causing the spiral flight to become sharp and dangerous to the user. Furthermore, because the auger is made of metal, with the spiral flight welded onto a rod, there are typically burrs, pits, and uneven surfaces that increase the difficulty of cleaning the auger and promote the potential for an unsanitary chocolate fountain 100.

Accordingly, what is needed is a fondue fountain configured for easy attachment of tiers at predetermined locations, such as by including a mechanism to easily determine where each of the tiers should be attached to the shaft. Additionally, what is needed is a mechanism for ensuring that the attached tiers are level. Furthermore, a chocolate fountain that allows manual attachment of tiers is desired. Also, a fondue fountain that is easier to clean is needed. A fondue fountain that evenly heats chocolate is also desired. In addition, a fondue fountain having a container with an outer perimeter that does not get hot when the heating element is active is desired. A fondue fountain having a container that is angled to direct the melted chocolate to the center of the container to reduce pooling of stagnant fluidized medium, such as chocolate, is also desired. Furthermore, a fondue fountain that reduces the portion of the melted medium that falls outside of the fountain when users dip food items into the flowing fluidized medium is desired. Moreover, a fondue fountain that reduces the occurrence of contaminants, such as metal filings, in the medium is needed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises a basin having a bottom surface and an outer side surrounding the bottom surface, the basin being configured to contain a fluidic material. An enclosure substantially encases a heating element, wherein the enclosure is in contact with the bottom surface of the basin and is configured to heat the bottom surface of the basin, the enclosure further comprising a support reservoir configured to support the bottom surface of the basin, wherein the basin is removably attached to the enclosure. The apparatus further comprises a cylinder having a top end and a bottom end, wherein the bottom end is attached to the bottom surface of the basin so that the cylinder extends upwardly substantially perpendicular from the bottom surface, an auger having a spiral flight comprising a plurality of revolutions protruding along a length of the auger, wherein the auger is disposed within the cylinder, a tier removably attached to the cylinder and having an upper surface and a lower surface, and a source of rotation coupled to the auger and configured to rotate the auger inside the cylinder, wherein the spiral flight supports the fluidic material as the auger rotates, moving the fluidic material upwardly to the top end of the cylinder. In one embodiment, the support reservoir comprises a coupling mechanism and the bottom end of the cylinder comprises an engagement mechanism configured for engagement with the coupling mechanism of the support reservoir so that the basin is secured to the housing.

In another embodiment, a method of assembling an apparatus for circulating a fluidic medium comprises mounting a cylinder to a basin so that the cylinder extends upwardly substantially perpendicular to a bottom surface of the basin, mounting the basin to a housing via an engagement mechanism, such that the basin is removable from the basin, placing a tier having a circular aperture on the cylinder in a position such that a top end of the cylinder is inside the bounds defined by the circular aperture, and moving the tier towards a bottom end of the cylinder until a locking mechanism stabilizes the tier at a predetermined location and the tier becomes securely coupled to the cylinder.

In another embodiment, a system for circulating a fluidic medium comprises means for mounting a cylinder to a basin, means for removably mounting the basin to a housing, a tier having a circular aperture, wherein a diameter of the circular aperture is substantially identical to a diameter of cylinder; and means for locking the tier at a predetermined location on the cylinder.

In another embodiment, an apparatus comprises a basin configured to contain a fluidic material, an enclosure substantially encasing a heating element, wherein the basin is removably attached to the enclosure, a cylinder attached to a bottom surface of the basin so that the cylinder extends upwardly substantially perpendicular to the bottom surface, an auger disposed within the cylinder, a tier removably attached to the cylinder, and a source of rotation coupled to the auger and configured to rotate the auger, wherein the auger supports the fluidic material as the auger rotates so as to move the fluidic material upwardly to a top end of the cylinder.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a prior art chocolate fountain.

FIG. 2a is a cross-sectional side view of a chocolate fountain having features that reduce cleaning time and improve performance.

FIGS. 2b, 2c, and 2d are cross-sectional side views of exemplary chocolate fountains, each with an upper portion configured to hold and circulate melted chocolate and a lower portion configured to support the upper portion and to heat the chocolate, where the upper portion is detachably connected to the lower portion.

FIG. 2e is a top view of the slotted basin illustrated in FIG. 2d.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side elevation view of a single structure crown.

FIG. 4a is a cross-sectional side elevation view of a tier that may be attached to the cylinder to direct the flow of the melting chocolate.

FIG. 4b is a cross-sectional side view of a cylinder including score marks indicating the recommended positions for placing the tiers.

FIG. 4c is a cross-sectional side view of a cylinder with tiers attached to the cylinder with set screws.

FIG. 5 is a pictorial flow diagram illustrating the assembly of a tier using a flanging, or riveting, process.

FIG. 6a is a side view of the auger, including a central shaft and a spiral flight.

FIG. 6b is a side view of the auger placed in the cylinder and held in place by a stabilizer.

FIG. 6c is a cross-sectional view of the exemplary stabilizer of FIG. 6b.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional side elevation view of another embodiment of a chocolate fountain.

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional side elevation view of an exemplary tier that may be connected to the cylinder.

FIG. 9a is a cross-sectional side elevation view of a tapered cylinder used to support the tiers.

FIG. 9b is a cross-sectional side elevation view of a step-tapered cylinder used to support the tiers.

FIG. 9c is a cross-sectional side view of another embodiment of a cylinder used to support the tiers

FIG. 10a is a cross-sectional side view of a crown configured for placement on the top of the cylinder.

FIG. 10b is a cross-sectional side view of a one-piece crown and tier configured for placement on the top of the cylinder.

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of a flexible heater comprising a plurality of heating members.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying Figures, wherein like numerals refer to like elements throughout. The terminology used in the description presented herein is not intended to be interpreted in any limited or restrictive manner, simply because it is being utilized in conjunction with a detailed description of certain specific embodiments of the invention. Furthermore, embodiments of the invention may include several novel features, no single one of which is solely responsible for its desirable attributes or which is essential to practicing the inventions herein described.

FIG. 2a is a cross-sectional side view of an improved fondue fountain 200 (or simply “fountain 200”) having features that address the disadvantages discussed above with respect to the prior art. The improved fountain 200 advantageously has reduced cleaning requirements, improved performance, and simpler set-up. In one embodiment, the fountain 200 flows with melted chocolate or other medium and is therefore referred to as a fondue fountain 200. However, while reference is made herein to the use of chocolate in the fountain 200, the systems and methods described herein are not limited to the use of chocolate. Accordingly, references made herein to a chocolate fountain do not limit the fountain to use with chocolate. In particular, any other fluidic material which a user wishes to circulate through the fountain 200 may be used instead of chocolate. For example, other confectionery items, such as caramel, toffee, taffy, or marshmallows; dairy products, such as cheese; or flavorings, such as mint or fruit, may be used in the fountain 200. Additionally, different varieties of chocolate, such as white chocolate, dark chocolate, or milk chocolate, may be used in the fountain 200. Furthermore, any combination of food items, such as a combination of chocolate and caramel, for example, may be used in the fountain 200.

As shown in FIG. 2a, the chocolate fountain 200 comprises a housing 280, upon which a basin 250 is mounted. The housing 280 houses a motor 285 and heating elements 260. The motor 285 may be any type of motor suitable to provide a rotary force. As described in further detail below, the heating element 260 is encased in an aluminum enclosure in order to more uniformly distribute the heat throughout the basin 250. Accordingly, the chocolate is uniformly heated and melted in the basin 250 due to the uniform heating of the basin 250 by the heating element 260. An auger 240 having a spiral flight 242 surrounding a central shaft 244 of the auger 240 is coupled to the bottom surface 252 of the basin 250. The motor 285 engages the auger 240 and applies a rotational force causing the auger 240 to rotate and thereby to lift melted chocolate, for example, upward inside the cylinder 230, the chocolate traveling upwardly upon the top surface of the spiral flight 242. A crown 210 is mounted on a top 232 of the cylinder 230 and provides an exit location for the melted chocolate that has been lifted through the cylinder 230, wherein the melted chocolate flows over a top circumference 212 of the crown 210. In the embodiment of FIG. 2a, an adjustment nut 290 is connected to the housing 280 and allows adjustment of the height of the foot so that the fountain 200 may be leveled.

In the embodiment of FIG. 2a, the chocolate fountain 200 includes tiers 220 that are each attached to the cylinder 230. In other embodiments, any number of tiers 220, such as 1, 2, 4, 5, or 6, for example, may be attached to the cylinder 230. A top surface of each of the tiers 220 comes in contact with the melted chocolate that flows off the top circumference 212 of the crown 210 so that the melted chocolate flows over each of the tiers 220 and returns to the basin 250. In this way, the chocolate continues to circulate through the chocolate fountain 200 and creates levels of chocolate flowing like a waterfall. Certain aspects of the chocolate fountain 200 will now be described in further detail.

In one embodiment, food items, such as fruit, are dipped into the chocolate flowing downward from the mounted tiers 220 of the fountain 200. When the food items are removed from the flowing chocolate, and before the chocolate hardens on the food items, drops of chocolate may drip from the food item. If chocolate drips outside of the fountain 200, cleaning the outside surface of the fountain and/or the surface on which the fountain 200 sets may be required. Additionally, chocolate dripped outside of the fountain 200 is, in most circumstances, contaminated and unusable by the chocolate fountain 200. Thus, dripping chocolate is preferably caught by the basin 250 so that it may be recirculated through the chocolate fountain 200. In an advantageous embodiment, the diameter of the basin 250 is sufficiently large to capture a significant portion of the dripping chocolate. In one embodiment, the diameter of the basin 250 is greater than or equal to about 400 mm. In another embodiment, the diameter of the basin 250 is greater than or equal to about 475 mm. The diameter of the basin 250 may further be increased to any diameter, such as 500, 600, or 1000 mm, for example.

The basin 250 has a bottom surface 252 and sides 254 which are configured to hold a fluidic material. In one embodiment, the basin 250 is shaped so that the fluidic material flows towards the center of the basin 250 and is available to circulate up the cylinder 230 on the auger 240. In particular, the angle between the bottom surface 252 and the sides 254 is sufficiently large so that the melted chocolate flows towards the bottom surface 252 and the cylinder 230. Accordingly, because of the shape of the basin 250, pooling of melted chocolate on the bottom surface 252 is reduced and substantially all of the melted chocolate circulates through the fountain at a uniform rate. Because substantially all of the chocolate circulates through the fountain 200 at a uniform rate, the chocolate is more uniformly heated as it flows across the bottom surface 252 of the basin 250. In one embodiment, the angle between the bottom surface 252 and the sides 254 is greater than or equal to about 13 degrees. In another embodiment, the angle between the bottom surface 252 and the sides 254 is greater than or equal to about 16. The angle between the bottom surface 252 and the sides 254 may further be increased to 20, 25, 30, or 25 degrees, for example, to maintain the chocolate on the bottom surface 252 of the basin.

As noted above, the heating element 260 is advantageously encased in an aluminum enclosure. Because aluminum has a relatively high thermal conductivity, the aluminum enclosure provides a substantially uniform heating of the bottom surface 252 of the basin 250. In this way, the occurrence of hot spots, or locations that are heated more than others, is greatly reduced and the chocolate, or other fluidic material in the basin 250, is uniformly heated. In one embodiment, the aluminum enclosure is sandwiched between layers of another metal. For example, an aluminum enclosure may be covered, on a top and/or bottom surface, with stainless steel, thus providing a durable, easy to clean, and non-reactive surface for interaction with the chocolate and additionally providing the high thermal conductivity of the aluminum. Additionally, other metals with high thermal conductivity may be used to encase the heating element 260 in order to provide uniform heating of the basin 250. In another embodiment, an aluminum plate, rather than an enclosure, contacts the heating element 260 and the basin 250.

An auger 240 having a spiral flight 242 surrounding a central shaft of the auger 240 is coupled to the bottom surface 252 of the basin 250. A bottom end of the shaft 244 includes a connecting means configured to connect the shaft 244 with the motor 285 so that the motor 285 rotates the auger 240. In the embodiment of FIG. 2a, the connecting means comprises a cross-rod 246 or other mechanical means to connect the drive that connects with a gear driven by the motor 285. In one embodiment, the diameter of the auger 240, measured from the outer ends of the spiral flight 242, is substantially equal to the inner diameter of the cylinder 230. Thus, the auger 240 fits snuggly within the cylinder 230. As the motor 285 provides a rotational force causing the auger 240 to rotate, melted chocolate, for example, in the basin 250 is moved upwardly along the length of the cylinder 230, traveling upon the top surface of the spiral flight 242.

In an advantageous embodiment, the spiral flight 242 is angled so that the melted chocolate remains on the outer perimeter of the spiral flight 242. Additionally, in one embodiment, the spiral flight 242 has an increased pitch. These features are discussed in more detail below with reference to FIG. 6a.

In one embodiment, the crown 210 is a single structure that is formed by metal casting or plastic molding, for example. Because the crown 210 is a single structure that does not require welding to fabricate, there are no welding artifacts, such as burrs or pits, on the crown 210. Accordingly, without the presence of welding artifacts that may accumulate chocolate, the chocolate is easily cleaned from the crown 210 and the crown 210 may be easily sanitized. In one embodiment, while the crown 210 extends over the top 232 of the cylinder 230, the crown 210 is casted so that the melted chocolate remains in an upper portion of the crown 210. As such, the crown 210 may be more easily cleaned than the crowns used in the prior art. These features are discussed in more detail below with reference to FIG. 3.

Exemplary chocolate fountain 200 includes three tiers 220 that are each attached to the cylinder 230. A top surface of each of the tiers 220 comes in contact with the melted chocolate that flows off the top circumference 212 of the crown 210 so that the melted chocolate flows over each of the tiers 220 and returns to the basin 250. More particularly, after the melted chocolate flows over the top circumference 212 of the crown 210, the chocolate drops to the top surface of the upper tier 220A. The melted chocolate then flows to an outer perimeter of the upper tier 220A and drops to a lower tier 220B. The melted chocolate next flows to an outside perimeter of lower tier 220B and drops to a base tier 220C. The melted chocolate then flows off of the base tier 220C and returns to the basin 250. The returning melted chocolate flows with the other melted chocolate in the basin 250 and returns to the bottom surface 252 of the basin so that it may again be heated and lifted through the cylinder 230 by the auger 240. In this way, the chocolate continues to circulate through the chocolate fountain 200 and creates levels of chocolate flowing like a waterfall. As will be described in further detail below with reference to FIGS. 9a, 9b, and 9c, the tiers 220 may be coupled to the cylinder 230 in various manners.

FIGS. 2b, 2c, and 2d are cross-sectional side views of exemplary chocolate fountains, each with an upper portion configured to hold and circulate melted chocolate and a lower portion configured to support the upper portion and to heat the chocolate, where the upper portion is detachably connected to the lower portion. In each of these exemplary embodiments, a top portion 310 includes the basin 250, the cylinder 230, the tiers 220, and the crown 210. Advantageously, the top portion 310 illustrated in FIGS. 2b, 2c, and 2d further includes a locking mechanism for coupling with a lower portion 320. In the exemplary embodiments of FIGS. 2b, 2c, and 2d, the lower portion 320 includes a basin support reservoir 340 mounted on the housing 280, which houses heating and motor elements, as described above with respect to FIG. 2a. Advantageously, the lower portion 320 includes an attachment mechanism for receiving the locking mechanism of the upper portion 310 and securing the upper portion 310 to the lower portion 320.

In FIG. 2b, the cylinder 230 includes one or more protrusions 332 around the circumference of the lower end of the cylinder 230 and the support reservoir 340 includes slots 334 arranged so as to be in a mating relationship with the protrusions 332 on the cylinder 230. In this way, the cylinder 230 may be inserted in the lower portion 320 so that each of the protrusions 332 on the cylinder 230 enters one of the slots 334 in the support reservoir 340. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2b, the slots 334 are L-shaped so that when the protrusions 332 reach the bottom of a vertical portion of the slots 334, the cylinder 230 and the protrusions 332 may be rotated into a locked configuration, to more securely engage the upper portion 310 with the lower portion 320. In other embodiments, the protrusions 332 and the slots 334 may be shaped differently.

In FIG. 2c, the cylinder 230 includes external threads 336 around the circumference of the lower end of the cylinder 230. The support reservoir 340 includes a threaded cavity 338 configured to engage with the threads 336. In this way, the upper portion 310 may be mounted on the lower portion 320 by bringing the threads 336 of the cylinder in contact with the threaded cavity 338 and rotating the cylinder 230 so that there is a thread engagement between the cylinder 230 and the support reservoir 340. Thus, the upper portion 310 and lower portion 320 are detachably engaged. Advantageously, the upper portion 310 may be removed from the lower portion 320 for easier storage, cleaning, or transportation, for example.

In FIG. 2d, the bottom surface of the basin 250 includes cylindrical pins 342 that extend downward therefrom and are configured to engage with an aperture of corresponding dimensions. The support reservoir 340 includes cavities 344 that are dimensioned to receive the cylindrical pins 342 and to lockingly engage the upper portion 310 with the lower portion 320. Thus, when the cylindrical pins 342 are inserted into the cavities 344, the upper portion 310 is supported by the lower portion 320. In an advantageous embodiment, the cavities 344 include a circular portion 345 and a slotted portion 346, as shown in FIG. 2e, which is a cross sectional view of the support reservoir 340. The use of the cavities as shown in FIG. 2e may provide a stronger engagement of the upper portion 310 with the lower portion 320. In order to provide this stronger engagement, the cylindrical pins 342 also have an expanded portion 343 on the lower circumference of the pins 342, wherein the diameter of the expanded portions 343 is larger than the width of the slotted portions 346 and smaller than or equal to the diameter of the circular portions 345 of the cavities 344. In operation, the cylindrical pins 342 are inserted into the circular portions 345 of the cavities 344 so that the expanded portions 343 of the pins 342 extends below an upper surface of the basin 250. The upper portion 310 is then rotated so that the cylindrical pins 342 slide into the slotted portion 346 of the cavities 344, with the expanded portions 343 below the upper surface of the basin 250. Because the expanded portions 343 of the pins 342 have larger diameters than the width of the slotted portions 346, the upper portion 310 is secured to the lower portion 320. This engagement may be removed when the upper portion 310 is rotated in the opposite direction so that the expanded portions 343 may be moved through the circular portions 345 of the cavities.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of the crown 210. The crown 210 includes an aperture 216, through which the cylinder 230 is extended in mounting the crown 210 on the cylinder 230. In one embodiment, the crown 210 is supported on the cylinder 230 by fingers 218 extending inwardly towards a center of the aperture 216. Thus, the fingers 218 of the crown 210 rest upon the top 232 of the cylinder 230. In one embodiment, the fingers 218 are extensions of the bottom surface 214, which covers a lower cavity 219. Because the finger 218 and the bottom surface 214 cover the lower cavity 219, the melted chocolate that flows out of the top 232 of the cylinder 230 onto the bottom surface 214 of the crown 210 does not enter the lower cavity 219. Therefore, cleaning is only required on the bottom surface 214 and sides of the crown 210. Additionally, in one embodiment the crown 210 is investment casted so that there are no weld junctions or burrs that increase the complexity of cleaning melted chocolate from the crown 210.

FIG. 4a is a cross-sectional side view of a tier 220 that may be attached to the cylinder 230 to direct the flow of the melting chocolate. In one embodiment, the tier 220 is attached to the cylinder 230 through the use of a connector, inserted and tightened in a cavity 226 that extends through a side of the tier 230. More specifically, the aperture 228 of the tier 220 is first placed around the cylinder 230. The tier 220 is then lowered around the cylinder 230 until the desired position for the tier is reached. In one embodiment, the cavity 226 is threaded so that a bolt, such as a hex bolt, may be tightened through the cavity 226 against the outside of the cylinder 230. In this way the bolt holds the tier 220 in position on the cylinder 230. In one embodiment, the tier 220 includes multiple threaded cavities 226 that may be used to secure the tier 220 to the cylinder. Additionally, other types of attachment devices known in the art may be used to secure the tier 220 to the cylinder 230. In an embodiment using multiple tiers 220, such as that illustrated in FIG. 2a, each tier 220 may have a predetermined position on the cylinder 230.

The exemplary tier 220 includes a collar 222 connected to the a body 221. In an advantageous embodiment, rather than welding the collar 222 to the body 221 (which would result in weld joints and burrs which increase the difficulty of cleaning each of the tiers 220) the collar 222 is flanged to the body 221. This process, described further below with respect to FIG. 5, flanges an extrusion of collar 222 forming flange 224 and mounting the collar 222 onto the body 221.

FIG. 4b is a cross-sectional side view of a cylinder 230 including score marks 234 defining predetermined positions for placing the tiers 220 and FIG. 4c is a cross-sectional side view of a cylinder 230 with tiers 220 attached thereto using set screws. In one embodiment, each of the score marks 234 extend around the entire perimeter of the cylinder 230. The score marks 234 advantageously allow the user to easily determine the appropriate position for each of the tiers 220. For example, a tier 220 may be lowered until the cavity 226 is aligned with a score mark 234, after which a bolt or tightening screw may be tightened so that the tier 220 is attached around the score mark 234. Also, the score marks 234 on the cylinder 230 advantageously allow the level placement of the tiers 220 without the need of leveling equipment. More particularly, the score marks 234 are placed parallel to the top 232 of the cylinder 230 so that tiers 220 are level when they are aligned with the score marks 234.

FIG. 4c also illustrates an auger 240 with a knob 241 on the top end of the auger 240. The knob 241 advantageously provides a handle for the user to grasp when inserting, removing, cleaning, or carrying the auger 240. Because the auger 240 is typically covered with melted chocolate after the chocolate fountain is used, the knob 241 provides a clean handle for adjusting the auger 240. The knob 241 may comprise any material, such as plastic or metal, and may be of any other shape that is easy for a user to grasp.

In one embodiment, the score marks 234 form a groove of sufficient depth to engage the tier 220 and provide a support for leveling the tier 220 on the cylinder 230. More particularly, the score marks 234 may be of sufficient depth so that as a tier 220 is moved over the score marks 234 the tier 220 engages with the score marks 234. In this way, the predetermined locations for each of the tiers 220 may be easily identified. In one embodiment, the attachment of the tiers 220 in a level orientation, such that the fluidic material flows evenly over the surface of the tiers 220, is also possible because of the interaction of the tiers 220 with the grooves of the score marks 234. For example, in one embodiment the tightening bolts may be tightened so that they extend through the cavity 226 of the tier into the groove of the score mark 234. Thus, attachment of the tiers 220 in a level orientation may be accomplished by simply attaching the tightening bolts so that they contact the score marks 234.

FIG. 5 is a pictoral flow diagram illustrating the assembly of a tier 220 using the above-described flanging, or riveting, process. In step 510, a plate sheet of metal is acquired to be formed into the body 221 of a tier 220. Through a drawing process, the plate sheet is shaped into a bowl shaped structure as shown at step 530. The bowl-shaped structure is then trimmed, as shown in step 540, to include an aperture 228, through which the collar 222 may be attached.

In step 520, a tube is provided for manipulation and use as the collar 222. At step 550, the collar 222 is formed by cutting the tube to the appropriate height and machining the tube so that a circular extrusion 223 extends from an inner circumference of the tube. The collar 222 and the body 221 are then assembled in step 560. In an advantageous embodiment, assembly comprises inserting the collar 220 into the aperture of the trimmed plate sheet so that the extrusions extend inside the body 221. In step 570, the extrusions are deformed so that they extend over a portion of the body 221, thus attaching the collar 222 to the body 221 without the use of welding. In one embodiment, the extrusions are pressed so that the junction between the extrusions and the body 221 is substantially smooth. In one embodiment, one or more spot welds may be applied to the junction between the extrusions and the body 221 in order to reinforce the connection between the body 221 and the collar 220. In this embodiment, the spot welds are applied to the side of the body 221 upon which melted chocolate does not flow over. Because the melted chocolate does not flow over the spot welds, the reinforcement of the connection between the body 221 and the collar 220 with spot welds does not increase the complexity of cleaning the fountain 200.

FIG. 6a is side view of the auger 240, including central shaft 244 and spiral flight 242. As shown in FIG. 6a, the incline angle of the spiral flight 242, as shown on revolution 242A, is about 25 degrees. The incline angle of the spiral flight 242 is selected so that the chocolate travels upwardly as the auger 240 rotates. In one embodiment, when the melted chocolate travels upwardly in the cylinder 230 on the surface of the spiral flight 242, the incline angle is such that the chocolate does not contact the shaft 244 of the auger 240. Because the chocolate does not contact the shaft 244, there is less surface area of the auger 240, including the shaft 244 between revolutions of the spiral flight 242, to clean after use of the chocolate fountain 200. Additionally, a distance (pitch) between revolutions of the flight 242 is increased so that the increased incline angle is possible. In an advantageous embodiment, the number of welds used in formation of an auger are minimized so that the existence of weld spots, pits, and burrs on the auger are likewise reduced. In addition, a stabilizer, as discussed below with reference to FIGS. 6b and 6c, may advantageously be used with a metal auger, as well as with an auger made of any other material, in order to maintain a central position of the auger in the cylinder.

In one embodiment, the auger 240 is plastic and is fabricated using a molding process, such as an injection molding process. In one exemplary embodiment, the auger 240 is insert molded. Because the auger 240 is made of plastic fabricated using a molding process, for example, there are no weld spots, pits, burrs on the auger 240. Accordingly, the number of non-smooth areas (that collect melted chocolate) on the auger 240 is reduced and the auger 240 is advantageously more easily cleaned than those in the prior art. Additionally, because the auger 240 is plastic, contact of the rotating auger 240 against the inner surface of the cylinder 230 does not create metal filings and prevents the auger 240 from becoming sharp and harmful to the user. Thus, the auger 240 advantageously reduces contamination caused by contact of the auger 240 with the cylinder 230. In other embodiments, the auger 240 comprises other materials that are easy to clean and/or reduce the occurrence of contaminants that are mixed into the fluidic material due to friction between the auger 240 and the cylinder 230. For example, in another embodiment, the spiral flight 242 that surrounds a metal auger 240 is one piece, thus reducing the number of weld spots, pits, and/or burrs on the spiral flight 242.

FIG. 6b is a side view of the auger 240 as seen when placed in the cylinder 230 and held in place by a stabilizer 610. In previous chocolate fountains, the position of the auger 240 was maintained within the cylinder due to contact of the flights 242 with the inner surfaces of the cylinder 230. However, as noted above, friction between the auger 240 and the cylinder 230 may create filings that are carried in the melted chocolate and the auger 240 may become sharp. In addition, friction between the auger 240 and the cylinder 230 may decrease the efficiency of the chocolate fountain. Through use of a stabilizer, such as the stabilizer 610 illustrated in FIG. 6b, the position of the auger 240 may be retained in the center of the cylinder 240 independent from the relationship between the flights 242 and the cylinder 230.

FIG. 6c is a cross-sectional view of the exemplary stabilizer 610 of FIG. 6b. The stabilizer of FIG. 6c comprises four support members 615 which form a central aperture 620. The support members 615 advantageously maintain the position of the auger 240 within the cylinder 230. In operation, after the auger 240 has been inserted into the cylinder 230, the stabilizer 610 is inserted into the cylinder 230 so that a topmost portion of the auger 240 enters a central aperture 620 of the stabilizer 610. Alternatively, the stabilizer 610 and the auger 240 may be coupled prior to insertion in to the cylinder 230. Subsequently, when the auguer 240 is rotated, the radial position of the auger within the cylinder 230 is maintained independent from any interaction between the flights 242 of the auger 240 and the cylinder 230.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional side view illustrating another embodiment of a chocolate fountain. The chocolate fountain 700 illustrated in FIG. 7 is smaller than the chocolate fountain 200 and, accordingly, may be more suitable for home use. The chocolate fountain 700 is advantageously easy to assemble, operate, and clean.

The fountain 700 includes a basin 750 mounted on a housing 780. In one embodiment, the basin comprises a material with a high thermal conductivity, such as aluminum, for example. Additionally, in one embodiment, an aluminum basin may be coated with one or more non-stick materials, such as teflon. As described further below with reference to FIG. 11, in one embodiment a flexible heater may be attached to the bottom of the basin 750. In this embodiment, because the basin 750 comprises a high thermal conductivity material, power requirements of the flexible heater may be reduced.

As illustrated in FIG. 7, the housing 780 includes a bottom cover 782. In one embodiment, the bottom cover 782 includes an access panel that may be opened to access the inside of the housing 780. In this way, the components within the housing 780 may be easily accessed and repaired. In another embodiment, other portions of the fountain 700 include access panels that allow the user or technician to easily access and/or repair the components within the housing 780. The fountain 700 also includes one or more handles 790 that allows the user to easily move the entire fountain 700 or a portion of the fountain 700, such as the housing 780 and basin 750.

Similar to the chocolate fountain 200 discussed above, the fountain 700 includes a cylinder 730 attached to the basin 750 that houses an auger 740 configured to support a fluidic material as it is lifted upwardly through the cylinder 730. In the embodiment of FIG. 7, a motor 785 is mounted in the housing 780 so that the auger 740 is directly driven by the motor 785. Accordingly, the connection between the motor 785 and the auger 740 does not require additional gears or belts, reducing the number of parts required for the fountain 700.

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional side view of an exemplary tier 720 that may be connected to the cylinder 730. The tiers 720 (including top tier 720A and bottom tier 720B) are mounted on the cylinder 730 and provide a surface on which the fluidic material may flow. For example, in one embodiment, the tiers 720 are metal and are fabricated according to the method described with respect to FIG. 5. Alternatively, as illustrated in FIG. 8, the tiers are a single structure, formed by metal casting, metal drawing, or plastic molding, for example. Accordingly, the tiers 720 do not require welding and, thus, do not have any welding artifacts, such as burrs or pits, that may retain melted chocolate and increase the complexity of cleaning the tiers 720. Also, the tiers 720 may be formed of plastic using a molding process, such as injection molding. While specific methods of manufacturing the tiers 720 are discussed above, it is expressly contemplated that the tiers 720 may be fabricated in any other way known in the art. The fountain 700 includes two tiers 720, namely tiers 720A and 720B. In other embodiment, the fountain 700 may be configured to support any number of tiers, such as 1, 3, 4, 5, or 6 tiers, for example.

As illustrated in FIG. 8, the tier 720 includes an aperture 728, through which the cylinder 730 is mounted. More particularly, the tier 720 is mounted on the cylinder 730 by first placing the tier 720 on the upper end 732 of the cylinder 730. The tier 720 is placed on the cylinder 730 so that the cylinder 730 extends through the aperture 728 of the tier 720. The tier 720 is then moved down the length of the tier 720 until the desired location for the tier 720 is reached. In one embodiment, each of the tiers 720, such as tiers 720A and 720B, have different diameters. For example, the chocolate fountain 700 (FIG. 7) illustrates the tier 720A having a smaller diameter than tier 720B. Additionally, the apertures 728 of tiers 720 may have different diameters. As discussed in detail below (FIG. 9a), because the tiers 720 have apertures 728 of different diameters, the location of the tiers 720 on the cylinder 730 may be easily determined by simply sliding each tier 720 down the cylinder 730 until the tier 720 locks in to a predetermined location on the cylinder 730.

In one embodiment, the tier 720 includes a notch 725 on the inner surface of the tier 720. The notch 725 is configured to engage the cylinder 730 so that the tier 720 is supported on the cylinder 730 without the need for an additional tightening mechanism. In one embodiment, the notch 725 is molded as part of the tier 720. In another embodiment, the notch 725 is etched into the tier 720 after molding the tier 720.

FIG. 9a is a cross-sectional side view of a cylinder used to support the tiers 720. In one embodiment, the external surface of the cylinder 730 includes one or more ledges 731 configured to engage with tiers 720 in mounting the tiers 720 on the cylinder 730. In one embodiment discussed above, the tier 720 includes a notch 725 which is configured to engage with the ledge 731 in mounting the tier 720 on the cylinder 730. With reference to the cylinder 730 (FIG. 9a), the ledge 731A has a larger diameter than ledge 731B. Accordingly, a tier 720 having an aperture with a diameter larger than the diameter of ledge 731A may be lowered past the ledge 731A and then mounted at a lower location, such as upon the ledge 731B, which thereby positions the tier 720 at the location 730B, on the cylinder 730.

FIG. 9b is a cross-sectional side view of another embodiment of a cylinder used to support the tiers. In this embodiment, the cylinder is step-tapered so that at the positions where tiers are to be place on the cylinder 740, the outer surface of the cylinder 740 is tapered. With respect to FIG. 9b, positions 741A, 741B, and 741C indicate the locations on the cylinder 740 that are tapered. Similar to the embodiment described above with reference to FIG. 9a, when tiers having different diameter apertures are lowered around cylinder 740, each of the tiers advantageously engages with one of the step-tapers (at location 741A, 741B, or 741C, for example), which have diameters substantially matching diameters of particular tiers. Thus, the tiers are evenly mounted at their desired locations on the cylinder 740 without the use of set screws or other fastening equipment.

FIG. 9c is a cross-sectional side view of another embodiment of a cylinder used to support the tiers. In this embodiment, the cylinder 750 may be substantially smoothly tapered so that a diameter of the upper end 752 of the cylinder 750 is smaller than a diameter of the lower end 754 of the cylinder 750. In this embodiment, because the cylinder 750 is tapered, tiers having apertures with different diameters will each fittingly engage the cylinder 750 at different positions of the cylinder 750. In one embodiment, an inner circumference of the tier surrounding the tier aperture is angled to substantially match in a mating relationship with the face of the cylinder 750 at the desired location of attachment. Thus, in order for a bottom tier to engage at location 751B on the cylinder 750, the aperture should have a diameter that is substantially equal to a diameter of the cylinder 751B at position 730B. In addition, the angle of the inner circumference of the tier surrounding the tier aperture may substantially match in a mating relationship with the angle of the cylinder 750 at position 751B. Similarly, other tiers may have different aperture diameters so that they engage the cylinder 750 at different locations. In this way, the tiers may be manually mounted on the cylinder 750 without use of additional tools or fastening mechanisms.

FIG. 10a is a cross-sectional side view of a single structure crown 710 configured for placement on the top of the cylinder 730. The crown 710 includes an aperture 716 configured to fit over the upper end 732 of the cylinder 730. In one embodiment, the crown 710 is supported on the cylinder 730 by a tier 720, such as tier 720A (FIG. 7). As discussed above, the tiers 720, such as tier 720A, for example, may be mounted on the cylinder 730 using various mounting mechanisms. After the tier 720A, for example, is mounted on the cylinder 730, the tier 720A is stabilized and may support a further structure. Accordingly, the crown 710 may be positioned on the cylinder 730, with the aperture 716 surrounding the cylinder, so that a lower surface 712 of the crown 710 is supported by the tier 720A. In this way, the number of required parts needed to mount the crown 710 is reduced.

FIG. 10b is a cross-sectional side view of a one-piece crown and tier, referred to as a crown-tier structure 215, configured for placement on the top of a cylinder, such as any of the cylinders discussed above. The crown-tier structure 215 includes a crown 210 and a tier 220 in a single structure. The construction of both a crown 210 and tier 220 into a single structure advantageously decreases the number of parts required for a complete chocolate fountain and, correspondingly, reduces the time involved in assembly and disassembly of a chocolate fountain.

FIG. 11 is a top view of a flexible heater 760 comprising at least one heating member 764. In one embodiment, the flexible heater 760 comprises multiple heating members 764. In the embodiment of FIG. 11, multiple heating members 764 are concentric, that is, each of the heating members 764 has a common center. In another embodiment, multiple heating members 764 are arranged in other configurations, such as in a web or a grid pattern, for example. In an advantageous embodiment, the flexible heater 760 is encapsulated in flexible heat conductive medium, such as rubber. For example, a filled rubber, such as a carbon filled rubber, may be used to encapsulate the flexible heater 750. Thus, the flexible heater 750 advantageously may be attached directly to a non-planar surface and provide substantially uniform heating of the surface. In an advantageous embodiment, each of the heating members 764 provides a heat source capable of transferring heat. The flexible heater is advantageously attached to the bottom of the basin 750 and provides substantially uniform heating of the basin 750. In this way, the occurrence of hot spots, or locations that are heated more than others, is greatly reduced and the chocolate, or other fluidic material in the basin 750, is uniformly heated.

The foregoing description details certain embodiments of the invention. It will be appreciated, however, that no matter how detailed the foregoing appears in text, the invention can be practiced in many ways. As is also stated above, it should be noted that the use of particular terminology when describing certain features or aspects of the invention should not be taken to imply that the terminology is being re-defined herein to be restricted to including any specific characteristics of the features or aspects of the invention with which that terminology is associated. The scope of the invention should therefore be construed in accordance with the appended claims and any equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a basin having a bottom surface and an outer side surrounding the bottom surface, the basin being configured to contain a fluidic material;

an enclosure substantially encasing a heating element, wherein the enclosure is in contact with the bottom surface of the basin and is configured to heat the bottom surface of the basin, the enclosure further comprising a support reservoir configured to support the bottom surface of the basin, wherein the basin is removably attached to the enclosure;

a cylinder having a top end and a bottom end, wherein the bottom end is attached to the bottom surface of the basin so that the cylinder extends upwardly substantially perpendicular from the bottom surface;

an auger having a spiral flight comprising a plurality of revolutions protruding along a length of the auger, wherein the auger is disposed within the cylinder;

a tier removably attached to the cylinder and having an upper surface and a lower surface; and

a source of rotation coupled to the auger and configured to rotate the auger inside the cylinder, wherein the spiral flight supports the fluidic material as the auger rotates, moving the fluidic material upwardly to the top end of the cylinder.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the support reservoir comprises a coupling mechanism and the bottom end of the cylinder comprises an engagement mechanism configured for engagement with the coupling mechanism of the support reservoir so that the basin is secured to the housing.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the engagement mechanism comprises threads on the outer surface of the cylinder and the coupling mechanism comprises a threaded aperture in the support reservoir.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the engagement mechanism comprises one or more protrusions on the outer surface of the cylinder and the coupling mechanism comprises one or more slots in the support reservoir, wherein the one or more slots are arranged in a mating relationship with the one or more protrusions.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the basin comprises one or more cylindrical pins that extend downward therefrom and the support reservoir comprises one or more cavities that are dimensioned to receive the one or more cylindrical pins, such that the one or more cylindrical pins engage with an aperture in order to lockingly engage the basin with the support reservoir.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the one or more cavities each include a circular portion and a slotted portion and the one or more cylindrical pins each include an expanded portion on a lower circumference of each of the one or more cylindrical pins, and wherein a diameter of the expanded portions is larger than a width of the slotted portions and smaller than or equal to a diameter of the circular portions of the cavities.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the auger comprises a handle at an upper end of the auger, wherein the handle is shaped to be grasped by a human hand.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprise a plurality of tiers, each of the plurality of tiers comprising an aperture with a different diameter, wherein the cylinder is step tapered so that each of the plurality of tiers engages with one of the step-tapers when the tiers are lowered around the cylinder.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein an inner circumference of the tier surrounding an aperture in the tier is angled to substantially match in a mating relationship with an outer surface of the cylinder at a predetermined location along the length of the cylinder.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a unitary crown and tier, wherein the unitary crown and tier is mounted on a top end of the cylinder and the fluidic material flows from the top end of the cylinder onto the crown and then onto an upper surface of the tier.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the unitary crown and tier comprises metal.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the unitary crown and tier comprises plastic.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a stabilizer having support members configured to contact a topmost portion of the auger in order to maintain a position of the auger within the cylinder.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the stabilizer comprises a cylindrical portion having an outer circumference substantially identical to an inner circumference of the cylinder.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising one or more flexible heating members, wherein said one or more flexible heating members are coupled to the basin so that a surface of the basin is substantially uniformly heated.

16. A method of assembling an apparatus for circulating a fluidic medium, the method comprising:

mounting a cylinder to a basin so that the cylinder extends upwardly substantially perpendicular to a bottom surface of the basin;

mounting the basin to a housing via an engagement mechanism, such that the basin is removable from the basin;

placing a tier having a circular aperture on the cylinder in a position such that a top end of the cylinder is inside the bounds defined by the circular aperture; and

moving the tier towards a bottom end of the cylinder until a locking mechanism stabilizes the tier at a predetermined location and the tier becomes securely coupled to the cylinder.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the cylinder comprises a step taper configured to engage the tier as the tier is lowered around the cylinder.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the cylinder comprises a plurality of step tapers, each configured to engage one of a plurality of tiers as the tiers are lowered around the cylinder.

19. A system for circulating a fluidic medium, the system comprising:

means for mounting a cylinder to a basin;

means for removably mounting the basin to a housing;

a tier having a circular aperture, wherein a diameter of the circular aperture is substantially identical to a diameter of cylinder; and

means for locking the tier at a predetermined location on the cylinder.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising means for supporting the fluidic medium in the cylinder so that the fluidic medium is moved upward inside the cylinder.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the means for supporting comprises a means for grasping the means for supporting.

22. An apparatus comprising:

a basin configured to contain a fluidic material;

an enclosure substantially encasing a heating element, wherein the basin is removably attached to the enclosure;

a cylinder attached to a bottom surface of the basin so that the cylinder extends upwardly substantially perpendicular to the bottom surface;

an auger disposed within the cylinder;

a tier removably attached to the cylinder; and

a source of rotation coupled to the auger and configured to rotate the auger, wherein the auger supports the fluidic material as the auger rotates so as to move the fluidic material upwardly to a top end of the cylinder.